Tenses

Tense is a form of verb that allows you to express time. In English there are three main tenses

present, past and future. They are further divided into four categories each. Each tense contains a

verb phrase and that verb indicates when the action took place: in the past, present, or future.

The chart below includes all the categories of tenses:

 Types of sentences
There are four types of sentences in English that are given below in the chart:

1. Declarative Sentence (statement)

Declarative sentences make a statement. They tell us something. They give us information, and

they normally end with a full-stop/period.

The usual word order for the declarative sentence is:

 subject + verb...

Declarative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:

positive negative

I like coffee. I do not like coffee.

We watched TV last night. We did not watch TV last night.

Declarative sentences are the most common type of sentence.

2. Interrogative Sentence (question)

 Interrogative Sentence ask a question. They ask us something. They want information, and they

always end with a question mark.

The usual word order for the interrogative sentence is:

 (Wh-word +) auxiliary + subject + verb...

Interrogative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:

positive negative

Do you like Don't you like

coffee? coffee?

Why did you go? Why didn't you go?

3. Imperative Sentence (command)

Imperative sentences give a command. They tell us to do something, and they end with a full-

stop/period (.) or exclamation mark/point (!).

The usual word order for the imperative sentence is:

 base verb…

Note that there is usually no subject—because the subject is understood, it is YOU.

Imperative sentences can be positive or negative. Look at these examples:

positive negative

Stop! Do not stop!

Give her Don't give her coffee.

coffee.

4. Exclamative Sentence (exclamation)

Exclamative Sentences express strong emotion/surprise—an exclamation—and they always end

with an exclamation mark/point (!).

The usual word order for the exclamative sentence is:

 What (+ adjective) + noun + subject + verb

 How (+ adjective/adverb) + subject + verb

Look at these examples:

 What a liar he is!

 What an exciting movie it was!

  How he lied!

Forms of Verbs

To learn tenses correctly we have to learn the forms of verbs.

Regular Verbs

A regular verb is used to form the past tense by adding a suffix –d or -ed. Example: hope, hoped

laugh, laughed. Base form is V1, simple past is V2 and past participle is V3.
Irregular Verbs

An irregular verb does not take the –d or –ed ending. The past tense for irregular verbs is formed

by changing the verb internally for example: run, ran catch, caught.